Baby Mine
by Anath Tsurugi
Summary: There are whispers about who really fathered Thorin Oakenshield's youngest nephew...but don't let him or his heir hear you repeating those whispers...or you will wish they had killed you. (Warning: Rape)


(A/N) Just some musings of mine on the reason behind Kili's looks. Yes, there is rape in this story. I don't find it to be particularly graphic, but to each her own, I suppose. That in mind, I hope you enjoy…

**Baby Mine**

Dis leaned over to give Fili one last kiss goodnight as the four-year-old finally drifted off to sleep. Smiling down at her golden-haired child, she stood slowly and left the room. In the main living area of their dwelling, her husband, Vili, was sitting at the kitchen table, struggling to get into his mining boots. When he heard her enter, he looked up at her and smirked.

"That lad asleep yet?"

"Finally," she said, sinking into the chair beside him. "It's a wonder the child's slept at all this week. He's so excited for the New Year celebration. I've started telling him if he doesn't at least _pretend_ to sleep, he won't be permitted to attend."

Vili chuckled quietly; giving up on his last boot, he leaned over to kiss his wife. "You sly creature. You wouldn't really?"

"Well…we'll just have to see, now won't we," she replied, moving in for another kiss. Moments like this one had been rare ever since Fili was born, and rarer still since Vili had started working a later shift at the mines. Sometimes, it felt like it had been years since they'd been able to touch each other. At that, it wasn't long before they were doing just that. Vili was already back out of his boots.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Dis teased her husband, the laces on her dress already half undone.

"The team can get started without me," he said, purring against her neck as he pinned her to the table.

XxX

Dis was awakened late in the night by the sound of the door opening. This wasn't so unusual…except that it wasn't quite late enough for Vili's shift to be over. It couldn't have been more than a little past midnight. Silently, the dwarf princess reached for the dagger she kept near the bed.

She could hear the heavy tread of the intruder's boots as he moved through the living area. He would reach her and Vili's room before he reached Fili's…and if this intruder even _dared_ to move on to Fili's room, she would be on him like a mad warg.

The boots stopped at her door, though, so the young mother readied herself for an attack. However, when the door was opened, the dim light of a lantern revealed the face of her brother.

"Thorin?" she called quietly as she sat up in bed, hoping not to wake Fili. "What are you doing here at this time of night? Couldn't it wait until morning?"

"Sister," he started softly, his expression grim as he moved into the room, "something has happened."

"What is it? Where's Vili?" she asked, her voice starting to rise in panic. A terrible certainty gripped her heart when Thorin couldn't meet her gaze. "Where is he?"

"Dis, I…he's…there was an accident. A section of tunnel collapsed. It happened so fast…he and four others…"

"Thorin…"

"Vili is dead, Dis. I…I'm sorry."

"No…" she whispered weakly as Thorin came to sit beside her on the bed. She wasn't completely aware of him pulling her into his arms, but she was in them suddenly, head resting against her big brother's chest as quiet sobs slipped from her throat. Over and over again, she whispered her denial. "No…no…no…"

"Mama?" Fili's small voice suddenly sounded in the room. The two siblings looked up to see the dwarfling standing in the doorway. "Mama, what's wrong? Why're you cryin'? Where's Papa?"

"Oh…my boy…my baby…come- come here," she murmured, holding her arms out for him. Fili came to her quickly, cuddling up between his mother and his uncle.

"Fili, I…I'm afraid your papa won't be coming home anymore."

XxX

The following days were hard on the grieving family. Thorin _wanted_ to be able to stay with his sister and nephew, but he had duties of his own to see to, so Dis and her son were welcomed into the home of Gloin and his wife, Bila. Bila looked after Fili and kept Dis from slipping too far into depression, kept her engaged. Bila couldn't always keep an eye on both of them, though, and it was only about a week following Vili's death that Dis had not come home nearly six hours after saying she was going to the market.

The young widow found herself in a pub Vili and his friends used to frequent, getting progressively more drunk as the hours wore on. When she'd been leaving the market, she'd forgotten where she'd been going and had nearly ended up back at her own home. For a moment, everything had been normal. She'd been heading home to make supper for her two boys. But then she'd remembered…Vili was never coming home again…and she had broken.

Thrain's only daughter was in such a state of inebriation, she hardly noticed her surroundings anymore. That did not mean she herself was unnoticed, though.

"What is that, little miss? Your tenth? Perhaps you need someone to see you home," a strange voice was suddenly at her ear. Growling, Dis turned to tell the dwarf off…and found herself looking at what she thought to be a man…a human man.

"What? Got a thing for short women, man-thing? Leave me be," she snarled at him. Dis couldn't have known this particular man was one who did regular trade with the dwarves of Ered Luin…and that his preferences ran in exactly that direction.

"Heed the warning, lad, and leave her be," his dwarven companions warned him. "That's the king's sister you've got your eye on. She's just lost her husband."

"So she's available, then?"

"Leave it alone, lad."

So he did…at least until his companions had safely forgotten about his interest and Dis was stumbling her way out of the establishment. She hadn't been coherent enough to hear even one bit of the conversation concerning her; neither did she realize she was being followed. She didn't really notice much of anything until she became aware of an arm snaking around her shoulders, starting to steer her.

"What…what's…" she slurred, still not comprehending.

"Little lasses shouldn't be wandering about after dark," the voice of the man was at her ear again.

"_You!_" she snarled, trying to take a swing at him, but she just couldn't get her mind and body coordinated enough for a proper fight back. She ended up playing right into his hands, her weakened, disoriented body falling further into her attacker's hold…allowing him to lead her where he wanted…away from help.

Even if there had been light enough to see where they were, Dis couldn't focus her eyes enough to take in details. The only things that really registered in her mind were the sounds of her clothes being torn, the sudden feel of cold air against her skin, and the rough feel of wood against her back as she was slammed down on a hard surface. Under any other circumstances, the exiled princess would have been able to take on one man quite easily…but here…like this…drunk out of her mind and splintered by grief…she was helpless…without hope in a way she never had been.

Then the confusion and struggling turned into pain.

Dis had thought she knew pain. This was different. It was sharp and deep…_soul_ deep, even. It was a pain accompanied by fear, helplessness, and shock. She continued to struggle, but the pain did not stop.

XxX

Thorin was just exiting the forge for the evening when Bila came running toward him, dragging Fili along with her.

"Thorin, have you seen Dis?" she asked when she finally reached him, barely able to catch her breath.

"No."

"Oh, Mahal. She's been gone for hours! She said she was only going to the market. Gloin's gathered some of the others; we've begun a search, but no one's seen her. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

"Don't be ridiculous," he said, though his face had gone tight with worry. "You can't be expected to watch both her _and_ the boy."

"Uncle T'orin?" Fili asked, tugging on his sleeve, his eyes were already bloodshot with his struggle against crying. "Is…is Mama going to go away and not come home anymore?"

"No," Thorin soothed, reaching out to pull the dwarfling into his arms. "No, of course not. We'll find her. Everything will be all right."

Lower lip trembling violently, Fili finally lost his private battle with himself and burst into tears. "I want Mama! I don' want her to go away like Papa did! Mama! _Mama!_" he sobbed pitifully.

"Don't fear, Fili. I'll find her…and I'll bring her back to you," he said, giving his nephew one last hug before passing him back to Bila. "Take care of him," he said before racing off in the direction of the market.

_Mahal, Dis, I__** pray**__ you haven't done something rash._

Dis' trail through the market had led him to a pub he knew Vili had enjoyed. There, several of the patrons said they'd seen her, but that she'd left a little while ago. Thorin was just about to pick up her trail in the tunnels again, when something outside the pub caught his eye…a glint of metal in the dust. Kneeling to pick it up, Thorin found himself holding one of Dis' small daggers.

"Dis?"

Just then, a hideous shriek came toward him from away down a nearby corridor. Whatever had made the sound seemed to be more animal than dwarf. Praying he wasn't already too late, Thorin sprinted down the corridor.

XxX

He had taken her weapons from her…but there had to be _something_ she could do. She couldn't be _completely_ helpless.

He must have taken her clumsy fumbling for either useless struggling or consent because he didn't do anything to stop it. With one last flail, she managed to pull a dagger off him. It was too late to stop this from happening, but she could still strike back.

Just as he finished in her, she struck, plunging his own knife into his jugular with a roar of pain, grief, and anger.

She'd never even learned the man's name.

XxX

When Thorin at last came upon his sister, she was covered in blood.

The room he found them in was part of a network of storage tunnels. Dis' attacker had her splayed out on top of a crate. The man himself lay sprawled out on top of her, unmistakably dead with a knife jutting out of his throat. Dis just lay there, her face stained with tears and her body bathed in the spray of blood from the wound.

"Dis!" Thorin shouted in dismay, hurrying to her side. There was no need to ask what had happened. The evidence spoke for itself. It was nearly as horrifying as the moment he'd come upon their brother after the Battle of Azanulbizar.

"It was my fault," his stricken sister mumbled, staring blankly at the ceiling. "I should've…paid attention…fought harder…_something_…" Thorin wasn't at all certain she was just talking about the rape.

"Are you injured?" he asked her, gently shoving the corpse away from her.

"Probably. I don't really…know yet."

"My sister," he said softly, pulling her limp body into his arms and holding her close, as if she were a child again. "I've failed you. I should have kept better care of you…and now I can't even avenge your honor. You've already done it."

Dis chuckled bitterly through the soft rain of tears. "What…what else was I…I had to…he…I…"

"Shh," Thorin shushed her, slipping out of his coat and wrapping it around her. It was easy to see she was still under the influence of her binge. "No more words, little sister. You need to rest. I'll get you home," he said, being gentle as he knew how as he lifted her into his arms.

"Please…don't…don't let Fili see…" she murmured before finally passing out in his arms.

XxX

It was a little over a month following the attack when Thorin came across his sister discreetly trying to lose her lunch off the side of the trail as their band returned from a trade expedition into Bree.

"Are you all right?" he asked as he came up behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder. He felt a small stab of pain in his heart when she flinched away from his touch. She heaved a few more times before turning to look up at him.

"I've felt better."

"Bila told me this had been going on near a week before we left. Perhaps you should not have come."

"Now where's the fun in that? Besides, we're nearly home now," she said, still unsteady as she got to her feet.

"Dis," Thorin started, stopping her from heading back to the group with a hand on her shoulder. "Bila has told me her suspicions. What do _you_ think?"

Dis' shoulders slumped in defeat. She didn't turn to look at her brother when she answered, "I haven't had my monthly. It should have been near _two weeks_ ago."

"Then-"

"Yes," she said, her hands moving to rest against her still-flat stomach.

"You told me there was _no_ chance this could've happened," he reminded her, a hint of anger in his voice.

"I may have lied a little," she responded primly.

"Why? This could have been over back then. Oin could have made you a potion."

"_No!_"

"I ask you again. _Why?!_ A member of the house of Durin has been defiled. _My baby sister!_" he thundered at her. "What sort of message do you want to send to these barbarians? That they can take hold of whomever they wish? Get their devil spawn even on a royal princess?"

"It might not be his!" she shouted at him, tears beginning to gather in her eyes.

"What?"

"I…I lay with my husband…that last night. There is a chance this little one is _his_…and not a result of…what happened to me."

"Oh…oh, Dis," the king in exile said softly, his expression sad as he moved a little closer to her, taking her shoulders in his hands. "What if it _isn't?_ What then?"

Much as the thought clearly pained her, the young dwarf squared her shoulders and met her brother's gaze. "Then…then he will still be _my_ child."

Thorin shook his head. "Sister…you would do better to end this now…before it causes you further pain."

"_No_," she snarled, glaring at him as she wrenched herself out of his grasp. "I _will not_ kill the child within me. I will not risk losing even one little piece of Vili. And if you force me to do it, I will leave. I will take _both_ of my children and we will leave your halls forever."

"Don't be foolish. What is there for you out there?"

"What is there for me _here?_ What but my children? This child is _mine_, and let no man forget it."

As Thorin Oakenshield gazed upon the fire burning in his sister's eyes, he knew she would fight for her child. She would battle against any creature that set itself against her for the sake of this baby. Smaug himself would she face. Nothing could challenge this look in her eyes…not even his rule.

"As you will it, my sister," he said, his voice solemn as he made his vow. "The child shall be yours. He will be the son of Dis and no other. He shall be my nephew and an heir of my line; and while I am king, no creature above or below the earth will say otherwise."

Dis' shoulders slumped again, this time in relief. "Thank you, brother. My boy will honor his king and uncle well…for this mercy you have shown his mother."

XxX

It was too much to ask, Dis supposed, that the child be born with Vili's golden hair. The peach fuzz on the newborn's head was dark, like most members of the line of Durin. Fili was the only exception in living memory. She'd been praying, though, for some small sign, some shred of proof the boy was Vili's son. But there was nothing. Her son was a baby, like any other, with tiny, perfect features, ten delicate fingers and toes, and lovely dark eyes. The lack of proof, however, did not mean she loved the babe any less. He was _hers,_ after all. She had fought for him and he had cost her nearly a river of blood. She adored every last inch of him.

Fili seemed to agree with her whole-heartedly. He had spent the entire pregnancy talking to her swelling belly, promising his unborn brother he would teach him everything he needed to know, and now that his baby brother was finally here, Fili was sitting in the bed with her, curled up close beside her with one hand resting on her breast near the baby. His tiny hand was curled around one of Fili's fingers and the other hand clung tightly to his mother's breast. He was nearly asleep.

"Mama?"

"Hmm?"

"Didja pick out a name yet? What's my baby brother's name?" Fili asked her. He'd been so excited earlier, but the long night had exhausted him, as well, and he was jus about asleep himself.

"Well…what do you think of Kili, love?"

Fili seemed to consider for a moment before offering up a tired smile. "I like it. It's like my name…and Papa's name."

"That's right."

"Hi, Kili," Fili said, jiggling his hand a little for his brother. Kili just opened his tiny mouth wide and yawned, then he smacked his lips together a few times, snuggling his head a little closer to his mother and gripping his brother's finger a little tighter.

"Kili, Kili, Kili," Fili sang several times, and the baby drifted a little further off each time. Suddenly, though, just when it seemed little Kili was asleep, he was wide awake, sobbing and yowling as if something had frightened him.

"Kili, what's wrong?" his big brother asked…as if Kili could somehow understand and explain.

"Hush, little one," Dis soothed her youngest son, gently starting to rock him. "We're here, we're here. Nothing will harm you while we stand guard." Then, very quietly, she began to sing, the low thrum of her lullaby spreading through her body and connecting to her sons, lulling them both.

_Baby mine, don't you cry._

_Baby mine, dry your eyes._

_Rest your head close to my heart,_

_Never to part, baby of mine._

_Little one, when you play_

_Don't you mind what they say._

_Let those eyes sparkle and shine,_

_Never a tear, baby of mine._

_If they knew sweet little you,_

_They'd end up loving you, too._

_All those same people who scold you,_

_What they'd give just for the right to hold you._

_From your head to your toes,_

_You're not much, goodness knows,_

_But you're so precious to me,_

_Cute as can be, baby of mine._

Before too long, Kili was asleep, and Fili not far behind, quietly humming the melody of her lullaby.

"I'm gonna take care of Kili, Mama. Just you watch," he promised, reaching out to pat his baby brother's dark hair one more time as he drifted off. "I'm gonna be…the best big brother…ever."

Dis smiled warmly as she watched her two babies sleep, not long for the waking world herself.

"Baby of mine," she said quietly as she lay Kili down between her and Fili. Then she curled her own body around their two tiny ones, creating a warm, protective cocoon. The exhausted new mother was claimed by sleep not long after. Throughout all of it, Thorin watched the three from the next room, keeping a close watch over the only family he had left.

XxX

Despite Thorin's best efforts, there were still whispers about the youngest prince's parentage…rumors that his features were too small…not dwarvish…that he wasn't able to grow proper facial hair. Dis always insisted her son was just a late bloomer and that he would come into his own when it was his time, but the vicious gossip still persisted. Dis tried to keep the harsh words from her little one's ears, but even children can be cruel, parroting the things their parents say.

One day, when several of the dwarflings were out in the forest with one of the older children, little Kili was starting to get tired and hungry, so Fili immediately went back to fetch his little brother an apple from a tree he'd seen a little ways back. The moment the prince was out of sight, it began. The other dwarflings circled the defenseless three-year-old.

"No real dwarf gets tired that fast. You're slowin' us down," one of the bigger boys said. One of the others shoved Kili to the ground.

"I am _too_ a dwarf!" Kili argued, getting to his feet, his little face going red with anger. Several of the others pushed him back down.

"No, you're not. You don't belong here. You're not one of us. You should just go away. Nobody wants you," the bigger boy taunted him.

"Tha…tha's not true," Kili protested, trying to sit up, only to be shoved down into the dirt again. He didn't try to get up again. He was afraid. He wanted his brother. Where was his brother?!

"It _is_ true. Nobody loves you. Not even the prince. You're just annoying to him. He's only nice to you 'cuz he _has_ to be."

"No!" Kili cried, curling into a ball as he began to sob. "Fili…Fili loves me!"

"Then where is he now?"

"_Fili!_" Kili cried out as several other dwarflings started to kick him. Curling even further into himself, he shut his eyes and covered his ears. "Fili, help me! _Help!_"

Fili was on his way back when he heard his brother's cries. Dropping the apples he was carrying, he immediately started to run. What if the group had been attacked? By a wild animal? By _orcs?_ _Kili!_

"_Kili!_" he shouted as he ran…

…only to find it was no enemy he was facing, but his own kind. They were all in a circle, chanting wicked things, kicking his brother and pulling his hair…and the older boy, Nwalin, was pretending not to _notice!_

When Fili realized what was happening, his vision went red with rage. With a cry like an enraged warg, he threw himself at the pack of dwarflings, mindless of everything but the fact that his baby brother was crying.

The eight-year-old moved with near lethal intent. No longer was he rough-housing, as he'd done so often with these boys. He aimed to injure, to maim, to _break_. He was barely a step below murderous. How could these _beasts_ hurt his little brother?!

"_Why?!_" he demanded of them as he hit, kicked, pulled, and bit everything he could possibly reach. "My Kili! My _baby brother!_ I'll make you pay! _I'll make you pay!_"

The beat down was over in minutes. The pack of bullies stood no chance against the enraged older brother. Fili didn't stop until Nwalin tackled him to the ground.

"Fili, stop it! I'll tell your mother you've been fighting!"

Briefly, the young prince struggled against the older dwarf, but when he stopped, Nwalin finally let him up. Fili gave their guardian a glare on par with dragon's fire. Nwalin knew exactly what he'd done. There was no point in demanding an explanation. Fili only had one thing to say.

"You don't deserve to live."

Fili didn't wait for a response from his downed opponents. He went to his brother, kneeling down beside him and gently nudging his shoulder. Kili flinched away from his touch and started to cry harder when Fili wrapped his hands around his wrists and gently pulled his hands away from his ears.

"No! No! Stop! Leave me alone! Jus' leave me alone!" he sobbed.

"Kili, it's…it's all right," he said, reaching to brush the hair out of his brother's eyes as he finally looked up at him. "I'm going to protect you…always. I _promise_. Please…don't cry," he pleaded, feeling almost like he could burst into tears himself…to see Kili like this.

Still sniffling, Kili reached for him, his eyes wide and frightened. Then Fili hoisted the younger dwarf onto his back, hissing in pain at the movement. He'd taken a nasty blow to one of his left ribs and Kili's knee came right into contact with it. He was able to steel himself quickly, though, because he could feel Kili wincing in pain against his back. Kili was hurt; he would have to worry about his own pain later. With this in mind, Fili marched away from the group, determined not to look back. It wasn't until they were quite far off that Fili was forced to admit to himself he had no idea where he was. He was not about to admit defeat and go back, though. He _would not_ take his brother back among his tormentors. However, he couldn't let Kili know they were lost. He'd been frightened badly enough today. So Fili finally came to a stop and set Kili on his feet, immediately noticing how he favored his left foot.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, starting to wipe the tears from his brother's face.

Kili nodded. His lip had been bleeding, but that had stopped already. "A…a li'l bit. I got…bruises. They were kickin' me. My ankle hurts…and my shoulder, and…and…and my tummy hurts," he mumbled miserably. "I wanna go home, Fili."

"In a little bit," he said softly as he examined Kili's injuries. None appeared to be _too_ serious. "We'll wait for those nasty bullies to go away first." He knew Kili wouldn't be able to walk very far on his ankle, and he wasn't certain how far he could carry him with the pain in his side lancing in sharper with nearly every breath. "Is that okay with you?"

Kili nodded, holding out his arms to be picked up again. Fili obliged, managing to hold back the hiss of pain this time. He walked until the pain in his side felt like the stab of a knife with every movement…walked until he couldn't walk anymore, collapsing to his knees with a small cry of pain. Kili immediately slid off his back.

"Fili? Fili, wha's wrong? "

"Nothing a little medicine won't heal," he assured his brother, offering him a tired smile. "I think…maybe we ought to rest for a little."

Kili nodded his agreement, his dark eyes widening in worry. Fili offered to pick him up again, but he shook his head, his face setting into lines of determination as he took his big brother's hand and they limped through the forest…just far enough to find an uprooted tree that would make the perfect little nest for them to rest in. They crawled beneath the tangle of roots, collapsing gratefully beside each other. Just then, the elder felt something in one of his pockets and reached for it. When he saw what it was, he started to laugh.

"Look what I managed to save. You still hungry?" he asked, holding the apple out to his brother.

"You…you don' want it" Kili asked, looking hopeful.

"Nah. If I wanted one, I would've gotten one. I got this for you."

Offering Fili a tiny smile, Kili took the apple from him and started to munch. He ate in silence and when he was finished, he tossed the core out of their little shelter. Then he snuggled up close to his brother, who smiled at him as he wrapped his arms around him.

"Fili?"

"Yeah?"

"They…they said I don' belong…tha' nobody wants me."

Fili's features hardened as he hugged his brother a little tighter. "Why would you listen to scum like that?"

"But I…there…there's somethin' _wrong_ wif me."

"_Nothing's_ wrong with you. _They're_ the ones who have problems. You're _my_ brother and I love you. Nothing can ever change that. Nothing! Do you hear me, Kili?"

"Y-yeah," he mumbled, starting to sniffle again.

"I love you. Mama loves you. Uncle Thorin loves you. What else do you need? Those kids don't matter."

"Yeah…yeah…you're right," Kili said, smiling, even though he was still crying.

"Course I'm right," Fili said, nuzzling his head.

Even though he was feeling better, Kili was still crying. Gently rubbing his back, Fili started in on the one thing that could always calm Kili down…his favorite song. He wasn't much good at singing, not like their mother, but Kili loved the song just the same, no matter who sang it. He'd even gotten Uncle Thorin to sing it once.

_Baby mine, don't you cry._

_Baby mine, dry your eyes._

_Rest your head close to my heart,_

_Never to part, baby of mine._

_Little one, when you play_

_Don't you mind what they say._

_Let those eyes sparkle and shine,_

_Never a tear, baby of mine._

_If they knew sweet little you,_

_They'd end up loving you, too._

_All those same people who scold you,_

_What they'd give just for the right to hold you._

_From your head to your toes,_

_You're not much, goodness knows,_

_But you're so precious to me,_

_Cute as can be, baby of mine._

Kili was asleep in his arms within minutes, and Fili held him, keeping guard over him as darkness descended on the forest. When night fell and the dwarfling started to shiver in his sleep, Fili laid him down briefly in order to slip out of his coat, wrapping it around his baby brother. Fili only felt the cold a little. Beyond keeping guard, most of his senses were focused on the sharp pain in his side.

"Come on, Uncle? Where are you?" Fili muttered to the dark. Surely their uncle would have sent out a search party when they didn't return with the others.

_Find us, Uncle. __**Please**__ find us._

Sure enough, before the night was too much older, Fili began to hear voices calling through the trees.

"Fili! Kili! Where are you? Can you hear me?!"

Fili immediately gathered Kili up and headed out of their little nest. He quickly moved in the direction of the voices, fighting his injury every step of the way.

"Uncle," he called out quietly, being careful not to wake his brother as he finally came within sight of his uncle and Dwalin. The two quickly rushed to him.

"What happened to your brother?" Thorin asked, worried at the sight of the child in his arms.

"He's just sleeping. He can't walk too well, though. They…they hurt him."

"Fili…what happened today?" Thorin asked him as he reached for Kili. Hesitantly, Fili handed him over.

"What did _they_ tell you?" Fili asked, the earlier anger starting to flare up in his eyes.

"They were all pretty soundly thrashed when they came in. Nwalin said ye'd gone off crazy, attacked everyone," Dwalin said.

"I didn't believe it for an instant," Thorin assured him. "What really happened?"

Fili squared his shoulders and met his uncle's gaze, unafraid. "They made my brother cry," he said simply, looking down at Kili's sleeping form and reaching out to stroke his dark hair. "They waited…until I'd left…to go get some apples. I should never have left him," he hissed, feeling the sting of tears behind his eyes. Really, this was _his_ fault. He'd _let_ this happen.

"What did they do?" Thorin pressed.

"They ganged up on him…teased him…beat him. They _hurt_ him…and I wasn't there for him."

"But then you came back," his uncle prompted him.

"Yeah…and I was just…so _angry_. I don't really remember a lot of it. They hurt Kili…so I hurt _them_."

"And where was Nwalin during all this?"

"He _let_ them do it. He pretended not to see!" Fili snarled, his vision nearly going red again at the mere memory of it.

"I see," Thorin said, his voice dangerously low as he struggled to keep a handle on his own anger. "A gaggle of dwarflings might have been forgiven their cruelty, but a lad his age should know better. Do not fear, my sister-son. They shall all be suitably punished. You did well, Fili. We'll get you both home now. Your mother is frantic."

As they turned to head back, Fili was just moving to follow them when the pain in his ribs suddenly overwhelmed him, sending blinding agony shooting through his veins. With a small cry, Fili fell to his knees. The sound of his distress instantly snapped Kili awake.

"Fili!" he shouted, head darting everywhere at once, searching desperately for his brother. It was all Thorin could do just to hold onto his wriggling body.

"It's all right, Kili. Everything's all right now. We're here. Your brother is going to be fine," Thorin soothed him.

"What happened, lad?" Dwalin asked as he knelt, allowing the boy to climb up on his back. Fili moved slow, being careful of the wound, but Dwalin did eventually manage to hoist him up.

"Ribs," Fili grunted. "They didn't just lie down dead, y'know."

"They _dared_ to lay hands on _you?_" Thorin growled. "First our Kili, then my heir? Suitably punished _indeed._"

As they headed home, the two older dwarves walked near to each other and the two brothers were able to see each other, with Fili looking forward over Dwalin's shoulder and Kili looking back over Thorin's. Neither dwarf said anything when their two charges each reached out a hand to hold the other's. They simply let it be.

The pain was far from Fili's mind, as were the dwarflings who had inflicted it. The only thing his world consisted of in that exact moment was Kili looking back at him, smiling, their hands clasped tightly together. The fear, anger, and unhappiness of the day seemed to be swept away as Fili looked into his brother's eyes…so trusting, happy, relieved…

It was in that moment that Fili made a vow to himself. He would _die_ before allowing Kili to come to harm like this again. He would never leave him to face an enemy alone. It didn't matter what anyone else said, what anyone else thought, or even what might actually be true. None of it was important because Kili was _his!_ No one else was going to harm him and live…not while Fili still had breath in his body…and there would always be breath so long as he had his brother to smile at him like that, his eyes filled with an infinite amount of trust and love.

_Kili…my Kili…my brother…__**mine.**_

XxX

(A/N) Only one note for this. The song "Baby Mine" is from the movie "Dumbo".

I suppose this is the end. It doesn't quite feel like it, but I'm not really sure where else it would go. Mostly, this was just a speculation on our favorite dwarven archer's origins. Well, either way, until next we meet, dear fandom, adieu.


End file.
